SCRIPTURE: “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in a time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Psalm 46:1-2;The Lord of hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge.” Psalm 46:11.
Introduction
How did you feel when you heard the news of terrorist attack on the World Trade Center? When you heard of the second plane crash, what did you feel? When you heard that another plane had crashed into a section of the Pentagon and yet another had crashed outside of Philadelphia, what was your reaction? If you are like most Americans, your reaction was that of horror, anger and a terrible sense of insecurity. No one expected that in our nation, that it would be possible to literally bring the world’s most powerful nation to a screeching halt. This week we learned that our sense of safety and security has been misplaced because despite what we have been told, we are extremely vulnerable as a nation and as individuals.
As we watched with terrified eyes the total destruction of the World Trade Center and witnessed the debris and carnage of lost lives and property, many people came to another astonishing realization.. “we no longer feel safe!”
The attacks seemed to target the obvious symbols of power in America.
The World Trade Center, towering at 110 stories high, represented the essence of American economic power. It was the home of giant American financial corporations, which operate, control and direct financial operations around the world. It was the one symbol the world recognized as an icon of American economic strength. The picture of the World Trade Center crumbling into the dust shook our sense of economic security.
The pentagon is the symbol of American military strength. In its walls the security of the entire nation is planned and executed. The movements of millions of soldiers, battleships, missiles and aircraft are orchestrated from the Pentagon. It is well guarded by armed soldiers, anti-aircraft guns, radar, and electronic security of the highest order. In our collective mind, the thought of an enemy, foreign or domestic penetrating such a defensive area was unimaginable. But when a hijacked jet liner crashed into the pentagon, killing hundreds, and wounding even more, we were intimidated. Our sense of military security was shaken.
The White House and Camp David are the residences of our national leader. They are protected by armed guards, air and land security, and the latest in technological advances. On any given day the President of the United States, the Vice President, Chief of Staff and many other leaders of the nation may all be assembled in the same building at the same time. When we learned that a fourth plane is believed to have targeted the president himself and was probably steered off course only by the brave intervention of passengers on board, we were shaken again. When we saw the President being shuttled from one place to another, ducking and hiding to avoid death while trying to lead the country at the same time, our sense of political security was shaken.
When we rode airplanes we felt safe. When we opened packages received in the mail, we felt safe. When we walked the streets of our nation, we generally felt safe from attack from foreign enemies, even if we were a bit intimidated by the enemies within. No matter how the nation responds to the tragedy and the tears of this week, the feeling of security we have known throughout the history of this nation will be lost forever.
Yet, beyond the tragedy and the tears, the terror and the fears, one symbol still stands strong, it is the old rugged cross!
The cross represents the one power in the world that has not and cannot be toppled by terrorism, crashing planes or evil empires. It represents the power of God himself. Christians, more than all others, are reminded that the power of the cross should reaffirm our feeling of safety and security. Our feeling of security is rooted in our faith that God is still on the throne and still controls the universe.
That’s why the song writer declares, “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine. Heir of salvation. Purchase of God. Born of his spirit washed in his blood!”
It is an assurance for times like these.
It is an assurance that there is still safety in the arms of God.
As Christians, along with the rest of the world, see the fallen symbols of shattered security in New York, Washington and Philadelphia; let us not forget to see the one symbol that still stands tall as a symbol of hope….the cross of Christ!
Exposition
This psalm focuses on David as he encourages believes in times of trouble.
David understood what it meant to be utterly devastated by trouble on every hand. David was acquainted with both the praise of the people and at the same time he was acquainted with trouble. He enjoyed being a hero and saw how quickly popularity crumbled. He soon became hunted. From the wealth of his experience with God, David suggests three things for believers:
Believers should trust and hope in God when times are difficult. In such times we are to remember what God has done for us in the past and look forward with expectation for the great things he is going to do in the future. Scholars think David was reflecting on his own life experiences in 2 Samuel 8, in which he experience difficulties but eventual victory.
David encourages us to sing his praise despite the difficulties of any given moment because he is our eternal strength. He is control and in him we can still find security, continuity and hope.
Tragedy Shakes Security
A tragedy, simply put, is an unfortunate experience endured by an otherwise good person. When bad things happen to good people, we call them tragedies. Whenever tragedies occur our sense of security is shaken, especially if we are not grounded in the Lord.
The most striking example of a tragedy is Job. He was a good man who endured a series of tragedies that resulted in the loss of his family, property and health. Yet in all of his tragic experience, Job was not shaken.
Generally, we feel secure when outside forces cannot intrude upon us. The simplest feeling of security is how comfortable and safe we feel inside our homes when it rains. We hear the roar of the wind and see the waters drench the ground but we feel secure. But if there is a leak in the roof, we worry every time it rains. We don’t feel safe.
When David said, “God is our refuge” what he meant is that our sense of security is not derived from our own defenses, but it rests in our faith in God. Psalm 20:7-8 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” As believers, we must remember that our feeling of security goes beyond metal detectors, airport security checks, military power, political alliances or the strength of our financial institutions. Our faith rests in a living God.
Security is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of confidence and courage in the midst of trouble. Security is not a promise that it will not rain.
Security is confidence that even if it rains my roof will hold.
Beyond that, security means that even if circumstances beyond my control occur, “it is well with my soul.” To carry the illustration further, those who trust in the Lord do not put their trust in the strength of the roof, but live daily with confidence that no matter what tragedy may befall them, they are secure in the Lord. They are unshaken. Psalm 125 puts it this way, “ They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken (removed), but abideth forever.”
Jesus, talking to his disciples in Matthew 24:6 said, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Since the word of God is true, we know that tragedies of monolithic proportions are forthcoming. As nations form leagues with each other against others, each action precipitates a reaction. As Cities are bombed, leaders are assassinated, and terrorists invade tragedy increases and the death of the innocent escalates.
In verse 7 of Matthew 24 Jesus said, “For nations shall rise against nations and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in diver’s places.” These shall be! The believer’s sense of security is maintained not in a hope that tragedies will not happen but in the knowledge that when they do happen, God is still in control. Thus David in Psalm 46:2 says, “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea”
Though the great symbols of our security crumble around us, we will not fear!
Though buildings topple and our defenses seem weak we will not fear!
Look at verse 6—We can relate to it especially in these times. We have seen the heathen rage. We have seen powerful constructions melt and crumble before our eyes. Though the work of the ungodly shakes the world around us…David declares in verse 7..”The Lord is with us.”
Tears follow tragedy
Whenever there is a tragedy, there are tears. There are tears from those directly affected and those who empathize. We have seen our share of tears in the aftermath of our own personal tragedies. Often our tears reflect our weakness and vulnerabilities at a precise moment. We can’t stop them because they flow. They reflect our weakness.
When a young widow, frustrated with the responsibility of raising three children alone shuts herself in a room and cries…her tears reflect her frustration.
When we are helpless to change our circumstance and have tired of wishing that things would be different, but they never are…sometimes the tears flow.
When we eat alone with an empty chair after years of sharing our meal with another who was always there…sometimes, right there, while no one is looking..the tears flow.
David reminded believers that God is our refuge or source of security. He also noted that God is our “strength.”
News of a tragedy is enough to buckle the knees of any human being. In an instant our humanity takes control as we sympathize and tears flow. Then the Holy Spirit moves and true believers find strength in the Lord.
Strength is the ability to rise above weakness, even with teary eyes and go forward.
When we are weak our strength is restored by allowing God to move in our lives. In the face of tragedy, when we are overwhelmed with grief and tears, we still need to allow God to act.
Look at verse 10. God says, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen.” When the heathen rage and cause tears, grief and pain, God will move on the altar of the hearts of the world in such a magnificent way that good will be raised up, love will be exemplified and righteousness will be victorious.
This is what Isaiah meant in Isaiah 40:29, “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength..but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up on wings as Eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
When we shed a tear for a friend, our tears are not lost. In our moment of compassion, God sees our tears. In 2 Kings 20:5 God told Hezekiah, “I have seen thy tears and will heal thee.” In Esther 8:3, Esther prayed for the life of Mordecai with her tears, and God heard her prayer. But when it’s all over Revelation tells me that “God shall wipe all of their tears away.”
Tears follow tragedy, but our tears should not be tears of despair.
Our tears may reflect our frustration, but they should not mean we have given up hope!
Our tears may reflect our grief, but they should not mean that we have abandoned our faith.
Embedded in our grief should be our eternal praise of God, who is bigger than any evil and better than the worst atrocity.
The Cross still stands
Finally, brothers and sisters we must consider, that when every symbol of power and achievement in the world falls, the cross still stands.
The ultimate goal of an evil power is to convince good people that there is no hope.
When we see the symbol of financial strength destroyed or the symbols of our political power and military strength laid vulnerable, it indicates that it is all hopeless.
Yet when every symbol that man makes crumbles to the dust, rising like a Phoenix like from the rumble with the hopes of every believer clinging to it. is the cross of Jesus!
When the sun is hidden from view and soot and clouds form a blanket around us, the cross of Jesus beams through the darkness and brings hope!
When it appears that all that we stand for is under attack and lays buried beneath twisted steel, charred dreams, and broken spirits, one symbol of hope still stands. It is the cross of Jesus.
The cross is the helping hand of men and women who give of themselves, beyond human capacity to save lives. Their untiring energy says to the world…the cross still stands!
The cross is the combined prayers of the faithful of every denomination and faith around the world lifted up with one voice. It’s a resounding chorus gives one grand testimony…the cross still stand stands!
The cross is our reminder that no matter how difficult times may become..God is still in control.
To paraphrase David, every believer declares:
‘Though the earth be removed…the cross still stands!”
“Though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, the cross still stands!”
“Though waters roar and be troubled…the cross still stands!”
I’’m glad to know that in times like these, the cross still stands!
These are times:
--Of Wars and rumors of wars..but the cross still stands!
--When nations are rising up against nations, but the cross still stands!
--When the heathen are raging and the multiple headed monster of evil raises its ugly head…but even in these times, the cross still stands!
The cross stands as a symbol of:
--Strength in the midst of weakness; victory in the midst of defeat
--Comfort in the midst of despair; hope in the midst of hopelessness!
No wonder the song writer declared, at the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light and burdens of my heart rolled away. It was there by faith I received my sight and now I’m am happy all the day!
Over 2000 years ago, the world saw a tragedy on a hill!
It was a tragedy because a good man was nailed to an old rugged cross!
It was a tragedy because a man who only tried to help people was persecuted by the forces of evil!
But Early Sunday morning the tragedy was turned into a victory!
No wonder the songwriter declared, “On a hill far away stood an old rugged, the emblem of suffering and I’ll love that old cross where the dearest and best, for a world of lost sinners were slain.
“So I’ll cherish that old rugged cross, till one day my trophies I lay down. I will cling to the old rugged, and exchange it one day for a crown”
Though storms rise…the cross still stands!
Though the heathen rage,the cross still stands!
God is in control!
